This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to assembling housing parts for an electronic device.
Electronic devices may include printed circuit boards and other internal components. These components may be mounted in a housing. With some devices, it may be desirable to form the housing from mating plastic housing structures.
Mating housing structures can be attached to each other using screws. However, screws may be unsightly. Other techniques may therefore be used that secure plastic housing structures without visible fasteners. For example, techniques for bonding plastic housing structures together such as ultrasonic welding, adhesive, and temperature bonding film may be used to avoid visible fasteners. These techniques may, however, pose manufacturing challenges. Ultrasonic welding can be used to join mating plastic parts, but may produce inconsistent results. Adhesives can be flammable. Temperature bonding film (TBF), which is a low melting temperature thermoplastic polymer, may become weakened when an electronic device is operated at elevated temperatures.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved ways in which to join plastic structures for electronic devices.